Letters From A Stranger || James and Lily ||

Best Source Of Honeydukes Chocolate

Disclaimer : I would have thought of something creative to write here if chemistry hadn't killed all my brain cells. So anyway, I don't own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 24

Lily stared in shock at the scene playing out in front of her. This was a lot worse than she had expected.

"What? You're not fighting back, Potter?" Snape taunted, "What happened to your Gryffindor courage?"

James crossed his arms in front of his face, which Lily realized was a technique to increase the strength of his shield charm.

Why isn't he fighting back?

"What is your problem?" he asked, anger blazing in his eyes.

"You." Snape spat, "You are the root of all my problems. Why are you talking to her? What do you want?"

Lily blinked in confusion. This is about me?

Snape flicked his wand angrily and a curse flew past, piercing through the shield, cutting a deep gash through James's forearm.

"James!" Lily shouted as she ran towards them, quickly placing herself in between the two boys, stopping further curses.

"Lily?" Snape said, his wand lowered to the side.

Lily glared at him. "What were you doing?"

James grabbed her wrist, pulling her behind him and away from Snape. Almost rolling her eyes at his need to be protective, Lily stepped back between them again but didn't let go of his hand.

"He started it." Snape said, pointing at James.

James spluttered angrily. "I started it? You lying as-!"

Lily squeezed his hand gently before turning back to Snape. It was her time to choose a side. "I know he didn't start it, Severus."

"What? You trust him now?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Yes. If he's saying he didn't start it, it means he didn't. I saw you dueling. He wasn't even fighting back." she said, trying to keep her temper down.

"How can you just believe him? He could be lying for all you know." Snape shouted, his dark eyes wild.

"He doesn't lie to me." Lily said, then turned to James, "Go to the hospital wing, James. You're bleeding."

He looked down at the wound on his arm. "Lily, but..."

"Just go, James. Listen to me for once."

With one last disgusted look in Snape's direction, he reluctantly walked away. When he was out of sight, Lily turned to Snape.

"Lily, you'll regret what you're doing." Snape warned.

"It's my life, Severus." Lily said, "And I'm sure I'll never regret supporting a person who, for once, didn't do anything wrong. Didn't I do the same thing last year when you were in his place? You may not have wanted help from a mudblood but I felt the need to stand up for a friend, so I did. That's exactly what I did now too."

Snape's face paled considerably and he opened and closed his mouth, unable to say anything. Then as if struck by something, he said, "He's using you. You were the one girl he wanted but never got. It's a challenge for him. He's going to leave you once he's had his way with you. And you'll regret then."

For all his arrogance and pride, James was a decent person and Lily knew it. She was sure that he wouldn't use a girl and throw her away later just to prove that he could get anything he wanted. He was better than that. And she felt the sudden urge to defend James. She couldn't let Severus, of all people, badmouth someone she liked.